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Acampe longifolia

Plant Botanical Name:

Acampe longifolia

USBG Plant Location:

Conservatory

Plant Threat Level:

Vulnerable

Acampe longifolia is an orchid native to tropical Asia. Although the orchid family includes about 20,000 species found in almost every terrestrial ecosystem on earth, all orchids are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Most orchids rely on extremely specialized pollination mechanisms and associations with specific soil fungi to reproduce and grow. Additionally, many orchid habitats are threatened by logging, agriculture, development and the illegal collection of wild plants, all of which upset the extremely delicate ecological balance that must be maintained for orchids to survive and reproduce. This specimen of Acampe longifolia is one of 1,800 plants at the U.S. Botanic Garden received through the CITES Plant Rescue Center Program.